His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.
Luke 3:17
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Our lives are to be subordinate to the gospel.
. . . he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
1 Corinthians 9:10b
Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we do not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, by asking for ourselves a king.” Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. Indeed, you must not turn aside, for then you would go after empty things which cannot benefit or save, because they are nothing. For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Furthermore, as for me, far be it from me that I would sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do evil, both you and your king will be swept away.
1 Samuel 12:20-25
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Our lives must focus on a higher calling than defending our own personal rights.
Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:12b
What are the rights that we are clinging to? Do we cling to the right to do what we want when we want to do it? Do we cling to our supposed right to be respected, to be valued? Have we put these rights before the gospel? Are we willing to be offended by someone and not to take it into account, so they can see the gospel lived out in real life and see that it’s true?
Are you willing to not get your way in the church, so people can see the gospel lived out in your response to them? Isn’t the gospel where we receive grace and forgiveness? Are we willing to give grace? Are we willing to give forgiveness without standing up to demand our rights? How important is living the gospel to you?
morning sermon, 1/29/23, Reverend Tim Rackley
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Our lives must focus on eternity.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
O’er all those wide extended plains
shines one eternal day;
there God the Son forever reigns,
and scatters night away.
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
morning service, 1/29/23